Switch.



Witnesses H. MARSHALL.

SWITCH.

11 2111011 101: FILED Hum, 1911.

1,009,677. m Patented N0v.21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor Atto rneys H. MARSHALL.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 19 11,

1,009,677, Patented Nov. 21, 191i.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

j W ZZZ/WM 3 Inventor Attorneys 11E sr HENRY MARSHALL, OF LINCOLN,NEBRASKA, ASSIG-NOR TO LACY L. BURD, 0F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SW'IT CH.

releases.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful Switch, of which the following is aspecification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a switch, the point ofwhich is yieldingly held by novel and improved mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form ofcar-carried means for throwing a switch point.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ofwhat claimed without depart ing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 shows the switch mechanism in perspective;Fig. 2 is a fragmental section on the line AB of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is anelevation of the carcarried means for throwing the switch point, partsbeing broken away; Fig. 1 is a top plan of the switch mechanism,adjacent the frog point; Fig. 5 is a fragmental bottom plan of theswitch mechanism, showing the means whereby the switch points areyieldably held; and Fig, 6 is a section on the line C-D of Fig. 5, partsbeing removed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2denote ties upon which the switch rail mechanism is mounted. The numeral3 denotes one of the siding rails, uniting with one of the main and linerails to form the frog point, the frog point being supported upon the ne2. The other siding rail 5 merges into one of the main line rails 6, theother main line rail being denoted by the numeral 7. The switch points 8and 9 converge toward the frog point, and are united at their points ofclosest approach by a retaining member 10, the latter being preferably atriangular block or plate, to which the extremities of the switch points8 and 9 are secured in any desired manner. The switch points 8 and 9 areunited by braces 11 and 12, the latter brace preferably sliding upon thetie Eipecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 3, 1911.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911..

Serial No. 606,396.

1. Une end of a rod 141; is secured to the switch point 8, this rodextending through an enlarged opening 15 in the main line rail 7, tooverhang one of the ends of the tie 1, upon the outside of the rail 7.To the outer extremity of the rod 141, a bloclt16 is secured,transversely of the red, the block 16 having a conveXed cam face 17disposed toward the main line rail 7. The block 16 rests slidably uponthe tie 1 and, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, mving to the cooperationbetween the block 16 and the tie 1, the rod 16 is spaced apart from thewalls of the opening 15 in the rail 7, so that the rod 14 will slide inthe opening 15, without coming into frictional engagement with the mainline rail 7. The block 16 is transversely beveled, upon its upper andlower faces, as indicated by the reference character 3 1 in Fig. 3.Because the block is thus beveled, and owing to the fact that the member32 is provided with the beveled face 33, the elements 16 and 352 areequipped with relatively large contact surfaces. Moreover, because theblock 16 is beveled upon its lower face, the contacting areas of theblock 16 and the tie are reduced, thereby reducing the friction when theblock 16 is slid. Rigidly mounted in the securing member 10, is adepel'lding shaft 18, rotatably carried by the tie E2, the latter beingpreferably a channel member. Secured to the lower end of the shaft 18and extended longitudinally of the tract, is an arm 19, having a hook20, adapted to engage one end of a retractile spring 21, the other endof which is secured as denoted by the numeral 22, to the under side ofthe tie 2. If desired, the spring 21 and the ele ments wherewith thesame is assembled, may be housed within a supplemental bottom 23,engaged between the depending flanges of the channel tie E2, or securedthereto in any other desired manner. From the foregoing it will be seenthat, under the tension of the spring 21, the free end of the arm 19will be swung laterally, causing the free extremity of the switch point9 to bear yieldingly against the main line rail 6, thereby closing thesiding.

When a car, equipped with any suitable form of switch-throwing means,approaches the switch point, said switclrthrowing means, if depressed,will engage the cam face 17 of the block 16, drawing the switch point 8into engagement with the main line rail 7, and withdrawing the switchpoint 9 from the main line rail 6, whereupon the car or train will enterthe siding; whereas, if the switch-throwing means be maintained inelevated position, the blocks 16 will not be engaged, whereupon theswitch points will be set for the main line, along which the car ortrain will of course travel. As soon as the car-carried switch throwingmeans have passed out of engagement with the block 16, the spring 21will act to draw the switch point 9 into engagement with the main linerail 6, the switch points 8 and 9 remaining normally set for the mainline.

To actuate a spring switch of the type hereinbefore described, thestructure outlined in Fig. 3 may be employed. Referring to Fig. 3, aportion of a car is shown and denoted by the numeral 241. In the bottom24: of the car is disposed a casing 25, in which is mounted for verticalreciprocation, a plunger 26, held for vertical movement in suitablecar-carried brackets 27 and 25. At its upper end, the plunger 26 carriesa foot plate 29 whereby the plunger may be depressed. The plunger 26 isnormally maintained in uplifted position by means of a compressionspring 30, the lower end of which is engaged by the lower end of thecasing 25, the upper end of the compression spring being engaged by atransverse head 31, secured to the plunger 26 within the casing 25. Ifdesired, any other suitable form of spring means may be employed forupholding the plunger. At its lower end, the plunger 26 is equipped witha head 32, adapted to engage the lower bracket 28, to limit the upwardmovement of the plunger 26 under the act-ion of the spring 30. The outerface of the head 32, adjacent the lower end of the head, is beveled, asshown at 33, for engagement with the convexed, cam face 17 of the block16, it being noted that this face 17 is beveled transversely, as shownat 34 for proper engage ment with the beveled face 33 of the head 32.hen the car approaches the switch points 8 and 9, presupposing that itis de sired that the car shall continue along the main line, the plunger26 is permitted to remain in the elevated position shown in Fig. 3,whereupon there will be no engagement between the head 32 and the block16,

the switch points 8 and 9 remaining in the positions shown in Fig. 1.When, however, it is desired that the car shall enter the siding, thefoot of the motorman is placed upon the plate 29, depressing the plunger26 until the beveled face 33 of the head 32 engages with the cam face 17of the block 16 whereupon, owing to the conveXed form of the cam face 17the switch points 8 and 9 will be slid laterally, the point 8 cominginto contact with the main line rail 7, and the point 9 moving away fromthe main line rail 6, whereupon the car will be permitted to enter thesiding.

In the drawings, and in the foregoing description, it has beenpresupposed that the device is to be employed upon a street railway, andthe term car has therefore been used, but it will be appreciated thatthe structures herein disclosed, are adapted to be used upon eitherelectric street railway lines, or upon lines the rolling stock of whichis steam-impelled.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a switch, atie; switch-points having their converging ends united; a shaft securedin the converging ends of the switch points and journaled for rotationin the tie; and spring means carried by the tie, and operativelyconnected with the shaft to swing the free ends of the switch points.

2. In a switch, a tie; switcl1points having their converging endsunited; an arm shaft secured to the converging ends of the switch pointsand journaled for rotation in the tie; an arm projecting from andsecured to the shaft; and a retractile spring fixed at one end, and atthe other end secured to the arm.

3. In a switch, a tie; converging switch points; a securing memberlocated upon one side of the tie and uniting the converging ends of theswitch points; a shaft rigidly mounted in the securing member andjournaled for rotation in the tie; an arm outstanding from the shaftupon the other side of the tie; a spring secured at one end to the arm,and at the other end secured to the tie.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY MARSHALL.

IVitnesses:

It. SPRINGER, W. F. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

